


Best Man Duty

by FreakyPseudWriter



Series: Iruka Week 2021 [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Brotherhood, F/M, Fluff, Gen, Iruka and Naruto are Family, Wedding Fluff, Wedding Rings, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-15 19:13:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29938095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FreakyPseudWriter/pseuds/FreakyPseudWriter
Summary: In the moments before his wedding, Iruka has a heart-to-heart-talk with Naruto.
Relationships: Hyuuga Hinata/Uzumaki Naruto, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Umino Iruka & Uzumaki Naruto, Umino Iruka/Original Character(s), Umino Iruka/Reader
Series: Iruka Week 2021 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2199300
Comments: 8
Kudos: 17
Collections: Iruka Week 2021





	Best Man Duty

**Author's Note:**

> The second prompt for Iruka Week 2021! This one is less focused on the relationship between Iruka and a Reader Insert but more on the bond Iruka and Naruto have. Their relationship is so special and needs to be highlightened as well, as it is so important to Naruto's character development and the overall arc of the manga. 
> 
> Another short fic, but I hope you guys will like it ^^

Once more, Iruka looked into the floor-length mirror. It was strange to see himself in this traditional attire. The same attire he remembered his father wearing when he married his mother. The same black _haori_ , the same black and white _kimono_ with the almost forgotten Umino-crest stitched into the fabric, the same white-stripped _hakama_. Even the white _himo_ was the same as Iruka remembered. Gently, he eased his fingers into the fluffy ball loosely tied to his waist, holding the _haori_ into place. 

Today was the day. Iruka swallowed the ball of _anxiety-happiness-dread_ down. Today was the day of his wedding. The day you and he became one as a family, in front of their families and friends. 

A knock at the door startled Iruka. He looked up, the loosely tied hair falling in unfamiliar waves around his neck. “Yes?” 

“It’s me, Iruka-sensei!”

Naruto. He let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. Thankfully. Even though most people would say that the usual Naruto-Uzumaki-behavior induced more anxiety and restlessness with his boundless energy, Iruka found his former student and—yes, he felt that close to him—little brother oddly calming. Like Naruto bouncing around and talking without a break laid off the pressure for Iruka himself to be attentive and careful all the time. 

Naruto stepped into the room. His unruly blond hair resisted even the skillful hands of Hinata, who had helped her boyfriend get ready for the ceremony. His festive kimono, however, fit like it was made just for him, despite Iruka knowing Naruto bought it second hand.

“Oh shit! Iruka-sensei, you’re looking so formal!” 

“Thanks, Naruto. That’s the point of a wedding kimono.”

Still, the younger man stood and merely stared at Iruka. So unlike his usual self that the teacher started to worry. Just when he wanted to step forward and ask what was wrong with him, Naruto shook his head and the dazed fog covering his eyes vanished in an instant. 

“I just… I just can’t believe it, you know? It’s so cool that you marry Onee-chan, but it’s surreal. That… That I might have…”

“Oh, Naruto.” Of course. Of course, Naruto was worried. Worried and conflicted and happy, all together and in between. Iruka couldn’t help himself. Gently and carefully, he stepped closer and pulled the boy into a hug. Naruto allowed it to happen, even answered with surprising despair. Hands came up to claw into Iruka’s shoulders, the blond hair tickling in the side of his neck and Iruka smelling the unique scent Naruto carried since his childhood: cheap detergent, the spices of his favorite cup ramen and for once, some underlying soap. A clean smell, telling that out of the unruly child became a responsible, healthy, respectful adult who even washed himself occasionally behind the ears.

Iruka closed his eyes. Gods in heaven above, it had to be due to his wedding day that the small tears in the corners of his eyes build. One thing he did well in his life, teaching Naruto how to become a good adult. 

Nearly. There was still a long way to go. 

“Oh man,” Naruto’s voice also sounded a bit strained, “Iruka-sensei… Are you crying?”

“No?” Though, his sniffle hidden behind a rising hand wasn’t very convincing. Iruka could tell himself. 

Instantly, the boy’s grin widened. “You’re definitely crying, believe it! Aaaw, that’s so sweet!”

“Like you’re one to talk. I can hear you holding back your own tears.” Iruka teased right back. It was so easy to rile Naruto up, just enough to make his first tears appear in the corners of his own eyes. Two cry-babies, that was what they were at heart. 

Then, Naruto shook his head and fumbled with a cleverly hidden pocket in his kimono. “Damn, I wanted… Wait, here.”

The boy placed a small box in Iruka’s palms. The teacher knew what was inside of them, after all he had given the box to Naruto in the first place. Inside was a set of rings; old rings given from father to son throughout the generations and even surviving the migration from Uzushiogakure. Wedding rings, embroidered with sapphires, both blue and white. 

“What about them?” Iruka asked. “Is anything wrong? Are you sick? Do you need to get Tsunade-sama?”

Naruto shook his head. “No, believe it! I’m fine! Though… I’m not sure if I won’t ruin your wedding somehow.”

“How so?”

“Because I get clumsy if I’m nervous,” Naruto instantly answered, “and when I’m clumsy, I tend to lose stuff. Honestly, it’s a miracle I haven’t lost your rings already, just because Hinata took them from me most of the time for safe-keeping, I asked her to, she would’ve never taken them if I didn’t ask her to do that for me, believe it! Anyway, I would lose them, and when it’s my turn to hand them to you, I will certainly drop them and ruin the entire day-!”

“Hey, Naruto. Calm down.” Iruka smiled as the realization hit him. His little brother was so nervous and so earnest about his anxiety of not doing well. But time to nip that kind of behavior in the butt, otherwise Naruto might just really drop the rings and blame himself forever, even though he wouldn’t ruin the day even if he actively tried to do so. 

“You will do great,” the teacher placed his hand on Naruto’s shoulder, “you won’t fuck up. I’m sure of it. You will be the best best-man I could ever wish for. Our bond—my trust in you—goes that deep.”

Again, there were pesky tears in his eyes, but through the curtain hanging over his vision, Iruka could also see Naruto quickly wiping the back of his hand over his nose. So, he pressed on, not caring when Naruto threw himself into his arms and audibly started to happy-cry for him and his words. “You’re my little brother, Naruto. You’re my family and no matter what happens today, you will continue to be part of my family. Our family will just grow a bit. With (Y/N), with Hinata sooner or later… With every person we allow in, we will gain more people we have bonds to, but our bonds will never fade. I took a giant shuriken to the back for you, do you ever think I would let you go after that?”

The last part was mumbled in a shaky voice, drowned out by Naruto’s siren-like wailing and his own sobs crawling out of Iruka’s throat. 

Needless to say, they were both a bit disheveled and red-eyed when the wedding ceremony started. And also needless to say, Naruto didn’t mess up, if only for the fact he held the box with the rings so tightly his knuckles turned white. 

**Author's Note:**

> Only proofread by me, I'm sorry for any mistakes T^T9


End file.
